The Two Most Important Decisions Your Child Will Ever Make

by Barry Adkins “It’s just alcohol; at least they are not doing drugs.” How many of us have said this, heard it, or thought it? Often we think that as long as they are “just drinking” our children will be okay. The truth is, most illegal drugs are tried, for the first time, under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol kills more than all illegal drugs combined. Try using Google to search for the term “alcoh Read More...

Dad’s Eye View

When I was the same age as my little ones, it always seemed that all the world was a stage and that life was a movie starring myself. Outside of my agenda, nothing else really seemed to matter. I could never see the dangers that lie ahead in life. The let downs and the downsides that I would later experience. There was change happening all around, but I couldn’t see it, couldn’t understand it. I wasn Read More...

Mom, Dad or Parent

Anyone who follows the parent blogging world knows the recent addition to the stereotype built against dads. The Huggie’s “Dad Test” ads expose a point of frustration for dads: the idea that dads are not capable to handle the duties that are required of having a kid. Changing diapers, feeding, watching, etc. Being a professional in the marketing and advertising field I completely understand the us Read More...

No Harm, No Foul, No Apologies

**Note: This is a fixed up repost from my personal blog. As certain events have unfolded in my life, and with words that have been floated my way recently, it is very fitting to my mood today, so I wanted to share it here too**   There is probably a lot in life that I should apologize for. Fighting with the wife, punishing a child then later finding out they weren’t the one at fault, being late to work b Read More...

Metal Mayhem

If you follow me on Twitter then you may have noticed that recently I have been on a kick of listening to metal. Bands like Confide, We Came As Romans, Killswitch Engage, and Bullet for My Valentine, just to name drop a few. Since high school, I have had an ear for metal, hardcore, post-hardcore, and music of the like. Some great father/son memories were created between me and my dad going to hardcore shows to see Read More...

The See-Saw Effect: Balancing the Daddy and Hubby Roles

There are many things I was never told about, when it comes to parenting, before I had to experience them for myself. Perhaps it was intended this way because, honestly, the subject I am trying to tackle today is not an easy one. It is probably one of those things I am better off experiencing before the advice rolls in because it is not really something that someone outside can help with. There are two definitive a Read More...

Cutting Through the Cute

My precious daughter has me wrapped so tight around her finger that it is absolutely ridiculous. I mean, cut off the circulation, makes your fingernail turn a funky purple/blue color before just dropping off like a melting icecicle. I’ve heard it said very often that most little girls become daddy’s girls. And that dads are just powerless against the awe that comes to them when becoming the dad of a dau Read More...

Watching from a Distance: With Tearful Eyes

Yes indeed, the year is about at it’s end. So much can happen in the course of 365 days. There are a lot of memories to be made, a lot of learning that can occur, and a lot of growing up to be done. During the last 12 months, we have seen a lot of change, a lot of growing, and have made a lot of memories. In looking back to the beginning of the year, and looking upon all of the events of the year, I turn my f Read More...

Sweating a Sex Education Class for Fathers and Sons

Fatherhood continues to amaze, delight and enrich me. I just went to a sex education class with my 11 year-old son, and yes, I was secretly dreading it. My wife signed us up. She was almost giddy from the program’s great reviews she’d heard through her ever-flowing moms’ grapevine. “Everyone says it’s the best… you’ll love it,” she exclaimed. I wasn’t so sure. T Read More...

Tobogganing For Dads: Hill Repeats

If you’ve got kinds under 5, you know that messing around with them is a great workout. You’re running, you’re stretching, you’re lifting 40 pound squirming dumbbells. It doesn’t do much to mold and sculpt your body (Dads have beer guts. It’s from how we hold our kids, we can’t help it.) but at least it’s some physical activity that is challenging different muscle gro Read More...

Be Cognizant of Being Over Protective of Your Kids

Today I wanted to talk about the protection of our children and being able to let go when needed. Today we are talking about being protective our children. When I talk about this, it is important to know what it means to be protective and what it means to be overprotective. There have been many times when I have seen parents who disagree to the extent of protecting their children, and I have even found J-Mom and Read More...

Teaching Your Kids to Serve Others

I am a Rotarian and their creed is “Service Above Self”, thus for me it is important to be able to live this on a daily basis and also espouse it to my children with the hope that they will follow my example as they grow older. Serving others can be as simple as doing something like what you see in the image above, or it can be giving your time to a child through Big Brothers/Big Sisters. No matter how Read More...

Are you a Dad – Become An Author!

I have always written in journals. I still even have journals from when I was younger. As I have gotten older I still have continued to keep a journal. I have found that doing this helps to keep track of small things, important things as well as ideas and thoughts. I find that entries may be formal or informal. I am recommending a journal to assist you as a parent because I have found that you as a parent you can Read More...

Teaching The Power of Passion

Children need to be exposed to many things as they are growing up. As parents it is important to let them explore different types of activities and interests. We need to encourage these interests and not trivialize them in any way (even if they don’t make sense to us).Our children are going through a process of exploration and must be able to make choices and learn for themselves where their true passion Read More...

Party Time 2011: Pass the Excedrin

This Saturday we will throw a party to celebrate both of the kiddos birthdays. Being so close in age and still so young, we have their parties together for ease of planning and execution. Little Man will be 4 this month and Little Girl will be 2. Hard to believe how fast the time has passed. With the Toy Story theme selected, the final preparations have begun. The Wifey is great at getting everything planned out to Read More...

Being Engaged With Your Kids

When I talk about being engaged, I am referring to doing things directly with the kids that are important to them and that they find enjoyable and fun. This could be something such as cooking with them, playing sports or games or other such activity that brings a smile on your and your child’s face (as hopefully you are having fun as well). Our children crave our attention and don’t care what else is on our mi Read More...

WTH are They Saying WOMBAT ROTFL???

One of the most important things in learning a new language is to speak to others in the language and have others speak to you in the same language. Also, in reviewing numerous parenting books, language acquisition of infants is greater with those that are spoken to often. Thus, from an early age parents need to be cognizant of this and need to instill the importance of communication in their kids. As your kid Read More...

Two Small Words

In my four years of being a dad I have learned many things. I have learned how to treat the croup without going to the doctor, how to change an explosive diaper in 4.86 seconds, and how to carry two children and a laundry basket at the same time. The journey is always teaching me a lot about being a dad, and also about the kind of person I am. Fatherhood has changed my life in so many ways that I could write on eve Read More...

Teaching My Daughters to Love The Game

As the new year starts and football season amps up with bowl games, the superbowl this weekend and other such great sporting events like this, I have been reflecting about what I have done to allow my girls to enjoy the sports that I like as well. Ever since that have been with us I have shared with them certain sports. For me, it is usually Football or Basketball. I would have them sit and watch the games with me Read More...